Multitrack VCD playback on Macs

[tomlee59]

I've made several multitrack XVCDs using the terrific VCD Builder, and they all play great in my standalone DVD players. They also play fine in my pre-OSX Macs, but only ones which have been formatted HFS+. I've tried experiments with two identical TAMs and two identical PB3400s, and with OS8.1/8.6, playback of multitrack VCDs only works with the macs formatted as HFS+. Does anyone have an explanation for why this is the case? I don't understand why this should matter at all, since the VCDs have a totally different file structure in the first place.

Ordinary, single-track VCDs play fine on all of these macs, HFS or HFS+.

I'm obviously missing something very basic...Would appreciate some education!

[Cornucopia]

Don't experience that here. At my work, we've still got 4 non-OSX macs working (running OS: 9.2, 8.5/8.6, 8.1). They ALL play single and multitrack VCDs fine. And only the 8.5/8.6 uses HFS+ (I know-I'm the one who reformatted it).

Difference I see is that (with 1 rare exception) pre-OSX macs only support VCD v1.1, not v2.0 with PBC (so menus, branching are out). OSX macs don't fare much better either. Shame really. You want good VCD playback--get a PC or settop.

Scott

[tomlee59]

Thanks for the quick reply. What's curious is that I can play VCD2.0 discs on my non-HFS macs (I haven't tried anything other than playing the main feature; maybe other functionality is absent). And in experimenting some more last night, I find that at least some commercially-authored multitrack VCDs will play, too. So perhaps there's something a little different about the way VCD Builder authors these things?

And yes, PCs definitely support VCD playback much more gracefully. I make VCDs because they are playable on more platforms, and on older hardware, than anything else. It's this enduring mystery about why HFS+ should matter that has me baffled...

[Cornucopia]

I've been a proponent of VCDs as highly-compatible and cost-efficient means of delivery for some time now, but I think the Fat Lady has sung. VCDs are passe and DVDs are now probably more universally compatible.

In 2005, I did 1/2 the # of VCD jobs that I did the year before, and last year (2006), I did 1/4 of the # I did in 2005. Too bad really. VCDs are still able to be put together quickly and cheaply, and with additional apps (Audio2VCD, SVCDstlnew--hosted on my site: http://www.cornucopiadm.com/goodies/svcdstlnew.zip, etc), you can make some pretty fancy titles.

Oh, well, I'm keeping pretty busy these days with DVD authoring (sending out 28 titles to a client today!). With burners and blanks only slightly different in cost from CDs and encode times reduced by higher speed computers, it makes more sense for me to author DVD.

Good luck,
Scott

[tomlee59]

I agree that the Fat Lady has definitely sung. Except in my retro-world, with heaps of ancient macs. My wife's clamshell ibook won't play DVDs, and my old Wallstreet will only play commercially-pressed DVDs. Its oddball drive can't be upgraded with standard drives, so it's VCDs for me, with or without the Fat Lady.

Thanks for your help, Scott. I appreciate it greatly.